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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Alannah Alana or Alanna

63 replies

Sausagedog1 · 03/02/2021 09:43

Just that really... Which spelling is best?
Alannah seems to be more common in Ireland and Alana more common in the UK.
We are living in the UK and have chosen the name for the meaning in Irish (darling child I believe)

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RuthW · 01/08/2021 18:19

@Firebird83

I would pronounce them differently. Alannah and Alanna like “a-LAN-a” and Alana “a-LAH- a”

I prefer Alannah.

This only I prefer Alanah.
Busybee1234 · 01/08/2021 17:52

Love the name Alana. The one we know rhymes with Ana (as in Ana from Frozen) not Anna. Prefer the spelling ‘Alana’ for that pronunciation. We’re in the South East.

A beautiful and modern sounding name yet with an element of mystique and old age glamour to it.
Some meanings are:
‘cherished’, 'beautiful', ‘darling child’, ‘harmony’, ‘serene’, ‘little rock’ (beautiful to look at and rare but also strong, tough and unbreakable like a precious gemstone or jewel)
The name has multiple origins. It can be derived from the Old High German word for ‘precious’ or from the Irish language term “a leanbh” for ‘child’ or from the Goidelic/ Hawaiian community meaning ‘fair’, ‘beautiful offering’. In Gaelic ‘Alanna’ is the term for ‘beauty’ or ‘serenity’. Depending on the interpretation the name's roots can therefore be Old High German / Hawaiian / Irish / Gaelic.
The Alana I know was named after a great-great-grandmother of Dutch and French heritage called ‘Anna’ (pronounced ‘Ana’ like one of the lead characters in the Frozen film).
Characters with the given name: Alana (a royal mermaid princess in King Triton’s court), Alana Yarn (famous author in the Storybook Rainbow Magic Fairies series), Alana (protagonist main character from the ‘Alana Dancing Star’ series by Arlene Phillips), Alana of Trebond (fictional heroine in the Tortall novels), Alana (sporty, kind main character from the cartoon Dora the Explorer)
Some people with the given name: Alana Blanchard (American surfer), Alana Curley (American dancer), Alanna Nash (journalist), Alanna Nobbs (historian), Alanna Schepartz (scientist), Alanna Kraus (Canadian skater), Alana Aoun (bridal & couture designer), Alana Spencer (British business woman & Apprentice Winner).

YoniAndGuy · 04/02/2021 21:06

Alannahs in pyjamas
Coming down the stairs

Whyisitalwayssocold · 04/02/2021 20:40

Alannah definately

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 20:08

The middle and last As in banana and pyjama are the same for me - all the same as the A in apple, more or less. The middle one is a bit longer or more stressed, but there's no aaahhhhh going on like in some English accents.

My accent is rhotic, so farmer has absolutely nothing in common with Alannah, banana, pyjama, Alana or any other words discussed on this thread.

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 20:02

I sat Pyjama as Puh-JAH-muh and Farmer as FAH-muh.
Banana as Buh-NAH-nuh.

I know a boy who isn't really called Banana but his DM and DSib call him
Firstname-Banana, and it really suits him. Grin

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 19:58

Yes obviously the consonants are different, Hmm but the vowel sounds are the same which is what's being discussed here.

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 18:45

The -ma and -na don't rhyme

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 18:31

@KirstenBlest

Isn't Banana a boy's name?

Pyjama and farmer rhyme with each other but not with banana.

Whereas to me, banana and pyjama rhyme (bananas in pyjamas are coming down the stairs...) but farmer is nothing like them.
Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 04/02/2021 18:27

Thanks for all your answers people.
Despite all the confusion over pronunciation I still love it and think it's beautiful either way.
I will keep mulling over the spelling, it's clear from all the responses that either spelling is fine it's just personal preference.
Possibly Alana is better for the pronunciation I'm looking for.

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 17:16

Isn't Banana a boy's name?

Pyjama and farmer rhyme with each other but not with banana.

crumpet · 04/02/2021 17:12

I knew an Alana pronounced A-LAY-na

Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 04/02/2021 17:10

@YoniAndGuy I would do that but the trouble is everyone says banana differently as well so I would still have the same problem.
'This is banana to rhyme with farmer not pyjama' see?

OP posts:
alannabanana81 · 04/02/2021 16:56

I'm Scottish so that's probably why I don't get the farmer thing! some English friends have definitely gone for a dramatic A - LAAAH - NA pronunciation but tbh the way people pronounce it doesn't bother me. even my sweet old landlord who insisted it was alan-a! good luck with your name choice. (I do like the fact it means "darling" in irish)

Firebird83 · 04/02/2021 16:16

The double nn changes the sound. Like Hannah is HAN-a, not HAH-na.

YoniAndGuy · 04/02/2021 16:10

Could you just call her Banana? It would solve the pronunciation thing.

SionnachRua · 04/02/2021 16:05

Another one saying Alannah rhymes with banana here! I'm currently saying farmer, hammer and Alannah, trying to force them to rhyme...can't get it. Unless I turn it into Alanner? Maybe that's it?

I don't like Alana or Alanna, they're not nearly as pretty.

Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 04/02/2021 15:07

@alannabanana81 the trouble is in some accents (like mine) banana and farmer rhyme. So Alana rhymes with farmer AND banana.
for my DH (who is Irish) Alana rhymes with banana but definitely not farmer. in his accent it is close to Hannah but a slightly elongated "a"
it is a bit of a confusing one, but I actually like all the pronunciations.
I would be happy with Alanna to rhyme with Hannah or Alana to rhyme with Banana or Farmer.
I feel like it is more natural for me to say it to rhyme with farmer, as that's the only way I have heard it and I think would be more common around here. I wouldn't want to spend my life saying "no not "arna" anna".
I love Lanny or Lani as a nickname.

OP posts:
alannabanana81 · 04/02/2021 14:15

I'm an alanna! it rhymes with banana (not hammer or farmer!) and I didn't like my name growing up but now I do. I've never had a nickname apart from at uni when I few friends called me lans or lanny.

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 14:03

Oh and the darling child Irish meaning comes from the Irish word for child which is leanbh and pronounced with the a sound from Hannah/apple as per my post above.

To me, Alana pronounced with a long aaahhhh sound in the middle wouldn't occur to me as being Irish at all (although still a nice name).

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 14:00

I'm Irish and prefer Alannah to rhyme with Hannah.

I would pronounce Alana differently, or at least ask which pronunciation (middle a as per Apple, or closer to the o in on is the best way I can think of describing in my accent).

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 13:51

Thanks Pinky.

I would say them :
Alannah Al-ANN-ah
Alana - Al-ah-na or Alan-ah
or Alanna - Al-anna

Alanah - Al-ah-nah

Trisolaris · 04/02/2021 13:03

Alana - the other just look fussy to me!

Pinkywoo · 04/02/2021 13:00

In Frozen Anna is pronounced Ah-na.

20viona · 04/02/2021 12:54

Alana